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"Start Your Day With God🙏"
Open Heaven Devotionals
TOPIC – Heavenly Home
MEMORISE: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. – John 14:3 (KJV)
READ: Revelation 21:1-11 (KJV)
Yesterday, I mentioned that some people treat the earth as their home and final resting place. There is, however, another set of people who see heaven as their home and conduct their lives in a way that ensures they will end up there. I am one of such people. I also mentioned yesterday that the earth and everything inside it are temporal. In Revelation 21:1, the Bible says that this earth will pass away someday, then verse 2 says:
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The Scripture above makes us understand that when the earth passes away, people who did not take the earth as their home, those who remained faithful to Jesus Christ, the Husband of the Church, will be in a new Jerusalem that will descend from God out of heaven. When you read the passage in today’s Bible reading further, you will find out that as genuine Christians, we will dwell with God in the same city and be with Him at all times. There will be no more sorrow or weeping for us forever. This is why I do not mind sacrificing anything in this world as long as I make it to heaven. This is because I know that when I get there, it will be joy forevermore. Indeed, as Romans 8:35-39 says, nothing will ever separate me from the love of my Father, and I am determined to spend eternity with Him. This earth is not my home; therefore, nothing here is as important as my goal of making it to heaven. When people see me still going on long prayer walks at my age, travelling from place to place to preach the gospel, giving to the poor, and spending and being spent for God, they may not know it or understand it, but I am laying up treasures for myself in heaven because that is my final destination; that is my home.
I have been shown glimpses of heaven in visions a few times before. Anyone who has experienced the beauty of heaven will not desire to be anywhere else because God’s glory lightens the city, and the Lamb is the light in it (Revelation 21:23).
Beloved, do everything possible to ensure that you make it to heaven. I pray that I will see you there, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Do everything possible to ensure that you make it to heaven.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 47-49
Open Heaven by E. A Adeboye
"Start Your Day With God🙏"
Open Heaven Devotionals
TOPIC – He Fights Your BattlesChristianity
MEMORISE: The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name. – Exodus 15:3 (KJV)
READ: Deuteronomy 20:1-4 (KJV)
I am always praising God, and there are several reasons I do so and will continue doing so. One of the reasons I always give praise to the Almighty is that He always fights my battles for me. He is the Mighty Man of War, as today’s memory verse tells us.
While I was a lecturer at the University of Ilorin in Kwara State, Nigeria, I would often return home from the school campus in the afternoons to have lunch and rest for a while before returning for my evening lectures. One particular afternoon, I finished my lunch and lay on the couch in the living room to rest. At that time, I was also the pastor of a parish, and many people would often come and go from my living room. I knew that if anyone saw my eyes closed, they would think I was sleeping and wouldn’t bother me, so I closed my eyes, put my hands together and put them under my head like a pillow. Suddenly, someone came into the room and grabbed my hands with one hand and my legs with the other hand while attempting to kiss me. At first, I thought it was my wife, but I realised that a person who could hold my hands and legs at the same time must be very tall, so it couldn’t be her. I opened my eyes, and the being vanished. Instantly, I felt a cold sensation all over my body. I got up, got into my car, and drove to the campus for my evening lectures. Not long after, I began to vomit and pass stool at the same time. When returned home, I had to crawl out of the car to go to the toilet, and I asked, “Daddy, what is this? I am Your son. Why is this happening to me?” God replied, “Son, I just want you to see a little bit of the battles I am fighting for you.”
Many people think that they are alive because they are wise. However, if God allows them to experience a little bit of the battles He fights for them daily, they will know that they are alive only because of His grace. Beloved, you are alive today, not because you can keep yourself alive, but because God is fighting your battles for you. This is why you must thank Him always. He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4), and that is why He can fight your battles even when you are asleep.
PRAYER POINT
Father, I thank You for fighting my battles for me, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 41-43
Open Heaven by Pastor E. A Adeboye
"Start Your Day With God🙏"
TOPIC – Earthly Home
Open Heaven Devotionals
MEMORISE: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)
READ: Isaiah 24:1-6 (KJV)
1 Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him
.
3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.Daily inspirational quotes
4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Many people today conduct their lives as if the earth is their home and final resting place. Such people focus solely on gathering treasures here on earth and practically worship material things. For them, the things that they see and own are far more important than everything else. They want to drive the best cars, live in the biggest houses, eat the most exotic foods, and gather as much money as they can at all costs. All they care about are vain things, and nothing else matters to them.
The Bible tells us in James 4:4 that friendship with this world is enmity with God. This means that anyone who loves the things of this world more than anything else, cares so deeply about material things, and is willing to do practically anything to acquire material possessions is an enemy of God. The same Scripture refers to such a fellow as an adulterer or adulteress. This is because, as Christians, God, our Maker, is our Husband (Isaiah 54:4), and He is the One who owns us. Therefore, if someone or something else succeeds in taking our hearts away from our Husband, we are committing adultery.
Beloved, I would like you to read today’s memory verse carefully and ensure you memorize it. I would love it if you could make it your watchword henceforth, because it is important to understand that all the things you see around you are temporal. For instance, a car that used to be flashy ten years ago is no longer flashy now. Likewise, the most sophisticated phone ten years ago has become outdated today. The things of this world are temporal and have no eternal value. However, the devil uses them as bait to distract people from things that are truly valuable and those that have eternal consequences. For instance, many young ladies have been lured into engaging in illicit sexual activities because they want to use the latest phones and wear the best clothes. They traded their virginity for material possessions, and they can never recover what they have lost, whereas they can lose what they thought they gained.
Child of God, take heed to the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36-37. Nothing on earth today is as valuable as your soul, and nothing is worth losing your soul in hell over. Don’t fall for the devil’s lies; keep your focus on God and His kingdom rather than the things of the world. Earth is not your home; you’re only passing through.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please help me to fix my eyes on You alone and not on the things of the world, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 44-46
Open Heaven by Pastor E. A Adeboye
"Start Your Day With God🙏"
TOPIC :– Put Jesus First
MEMORISE: I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. – Psalm 16:8 (KJV)
READ: 1 Kings 17:8-16 (KJV)
One of the ways that believers can preserve and maintain their position as children of God is by putting Him first in everything. In Genesis 22:1-18, God tested Abraham to find out who was more important in his life: God’s gift to him (Isaac) or the Giver of the gift (God). He asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, and he passed the test. Abraham put God first and chose to obey Him. He knew that the God who quickened his dead body to bear a son could also raise his son from death (Hebrews 11:17-19). When he passed the test, the Almighty God made a promise to multiply him exceedingly, and today, Abraham’s seed can be found everywhere. When you put God first, He will single you out for mighty miracles.
In today’s Bible reading, a man of God met a widow and asked her for food. The widow responded that all she had was just enough for her and her son to make one last meal before they die. However, she eventually gave up the meal to feed the prophet, and for the rest of the famine, she and her son didn’t suffer hunger. In Luke 4:25-26, the Bible tells us that there were many widows in the land of Israel whom Elijah could have been sent to at that time. However, I believe that God singled her out for an unending supply because He knew that she would put Him first.
One way to put God first in your life is to give Him your firstfruits. I find it surprising when some people struggle to offer their firstfruits to God. In Proverbs 3:9-10, God says that when you honour Him with your firstfruits, your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. You cannot put God first in your finances and experience scarcity or lack. Just do as God has said and leave the rest to Him.
Another way to put God first is to make His priorities your priority. One of the most important things to God is the salvation of souls. In Luke 19:10, Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost. Winning souls and making disciples are important to God; therefore, they should be important to you also. Beloved, tell others about Jesus today, and become actively involved in their spiritual growth. Go the extra mile to ensure that someone else follows Jesus, and the Almighty God will single you out for His marvelous miracles.
PRAYER POINT
Father, please help me to put You first in every area of my life, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 38-40
Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye